(a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fence posts used with barbed wire and other types of fence wire and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a fence post with a quick connection for securing a portion of the fence wire next to the fence post.
(b) Discussion of Prior Art
Heretofore, farmers and ranches have used different designs of fence posts with barbed wire for containing livestock. Also, hog wire, chicken wire, electric fence wire and other types of fence wire are used with fence posts. Typically two to five strands of spaced apart wire are attached to the posts. Some of the prior art fence posts include a plurality of studs extending outwardly and along a length of a side of the posts. The studs are used to help hold tying wire used to secure a portion of the fence wire to the side of the post.
Currently, the use of a separate tying wire is a method of choice in securing fence wire to the side of a fence post. The tying wire is wrapped around a portion of the fence post and a portion of the fence wire and snugly tied using a pair of pliers. The problem with using tying wire is it takes time and is tedious to manipulate. Also, the tying wire can come loose and the tying wire and the fence wire can slide vertically along the length of the fence post. When the fence wire is allowed to slide, the strands of wire attached to the fence post are no longer parallel to each other and uneven distances between the wire strands occur. The uneven distances between the strands expose a space, which attracts livestock to crawl through. Also because barbed wire is difficult to stretch, barbs are snagged against the fence post, when the tying wire is twisted around the wire and against the side of the fence post.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,266,778 to Wogerbauer, an espalier metal stake is disclosed for threading wire through lopes in flanges of the stake. The stake and the wire is used for holding fruit and vegetable vine plants. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,221,477 to Gustafson and 2,836,397 to Morrissey, two different types of chain link fence attachments are described. The attachments are used for holding the chain link fence next to a side of a fence post.
The above mentioned prior art patents and the method of securing a portion of a strand of fence wire to a fence post using a separate tying wire do not disclose or provide the unique features, structure, function and advantages of the subject fence post having a quick fence wire connection as described herein.